Things to do in  Castile and León

Running 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) around the Old Town of Avila, the Walls of Avila are some of Spain’s best-conserved medieval fortifications. UNESCO-listed along with the old town they enclose, the 12th-century walls look much as they would have in the Middle Ages.

The Ávila Cathedral is said to be the first Gothic cathedral ever built in Spain. Constructed to fit into the city’s fortified walls, it’s reminiscent of a castle—and this undoubtedly helped it survive hundreds of years of conflicts. Home to artworks and 15th-century stained glass windows, it’s a grand and unspoiled example of a Roman Catholic cathedral.

Once the site of bullfights, Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor is the largest square in Spain, and arguably, the most beautiful. These days, the focal point is City Hall, a magnificent Baroque sandstone structure with 247 balconies and an arcade of 88 arches sheltering a lively assortment of ice cream parlors, cafés and restaurants with al fresco seating.

With a fairy-tale-like mix of architectural styles, the Alcazar of Segovia is one of Spain’s most distinctive castles. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was built as a Moorish fortress and later converted into a palace by King Alfonso VIII of Castille. Rebuilt after a fire in the 19th century, the castle houses a military museum and archive.

Home to the Segovia School of Art, this 16th-century building is one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. Its façade is studded with more than 600 pyramid-shaped reliefs, lending the one-time noble house its name (“Pico” loosely translates to a sharp point in Spanish.) Whether this feature was added in the name of defense or merely decoration, no one really knows.

Set on a hillside outside Segovia, the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso (La Granja) was built in the 18th century by Philip V. Formerly a royal hunting ground and later royal residence and summer retreat, the baroque palace offers one of the best examples of a French formal garden in Spain, complete with sculptural fountains.

Built in the 1st century, the Roman Aqueduct of Segovia is one of the world’s best-preserved ancient aqueducts. It may make for an incongruous sight, running through this picturesque Spanish town, but it’s one of Segovia’s most famous landmarks. It runs for about 9 miles (15 kilometers); amazingly, the aqueduct still conveys water from the Frio River.

Located in Aranda de Duero on the Ribera del Duero wine route, Bodega Histórica Don Carlos is a historic 15th-century winery. Four miles (seven kilometers) of cellars, originally used for storing wine, run beneath Aranda. In a medieval cellar, this bodega offers tours, tastings, food pairings, and a wine store.

Formally known as Astorga Episcopal Palace of Astorga, the Palace of Gaudi (Palacio de Gaudí) is a modernist Gothic fusion of a cathedral and castle. While other architects helped finish the project over the decades, it’s one of the iconic Catalan architect’s few buildings outside of Barcelona. It boasts turrets, spires, and gargoyles.

Towering over the city of Segovia, the 16th-century Segovia Cathedral was the last Gothic cathedral to be built in Spain. Featuring three naves, a dome-covered transept, a massive tower, and 18 interior chapels, the cathedral is an architectural masterpiece and one of the most popular attractions in Segovia.

The Caves of the Eagle (Cuevas del Águila) site is a grotto complex of limestone stalactites and stalagmites hidden under an expansive oak forest on Romperropas Hill. In the company of a guide, visitors can explore the area and learn about both the history of the caves and their accidental discovery.

In the heart of Ávila is the Plaza Mayor, the historic meeting place of the city’s markets and the home of Ávila City Hall. Originally built in the medieval era, the imposing building that now has pride of place in the Plaza Mayor was constructed in the 1800s and is a grand example of Isabelline architecture—a mix of Flanders and Castilian styles.